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Protect Yourself From Clicking Your AdSense Ads Accidentally

June 5th, 2008

You are aware that clicking on your own AdSense ads will lead to the termination of your Google AdSense account. You adhere to the Google AdSense terms and conditions. You are constantly working on your AdSense page and you fear that someday you may click on the AdSense ads accidentally.

There are two simple ways that can protect you from clicking on your AdSense Ads accidentally.

Disable Your Browser Javascript

You can stop Google Adense ads from showing in your Google AdSense web site while you are working on it by disabling your browser Javascript setting. The following steps will show you how you can disable Javascript in Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Internet Explorer 3.X

  1. From the menu bar, select the Tools, then click on the Options.
  2. Select the “Security” tab page
  3. Uncheck  “Run ActiveX scripts” to disable Javascript
  4. Restart the browser

Explorer 4.x

  1. From the menu bar, select the Tools, then click on the Internet Options.
  2. Select the Security tab page
  3. Select Custom and click on the Settings… button
  4. Select Disable under Active scripting to disable Javascript
  5. Restart the browser

Explorer 6.x

  1. From the menu bar, select the Tools, then click on the Internet Options.
  2. Select the Security tab page
  3. Select Custom Level… button
  4. Select Disable under Scripting > Active scripting to disable Javascript
  5. Restart the browser

FireFox

  1. From the menu bar, select the Tools, then click on the Options.
  2. Select the Content tab page
  3. Uncheck Enable Javascript to disable Javascript
  4. Restart the browser

Edit the Hosts File In Your Computer

You can also block Google AdSense Ads by using the following simple trick. Open the hosts file in your PC with Word Pad/note pad and add the following entry in the host file of your PC:

  • 127.0.0.1        pagead2.googlesyndication.com

Once you save the hosts file and restart your browser,  you will never see the AdSense ads while you are working on your  AdSense web site.

You can find the hosts file from the following directory of your PC:

  • Windows 95/98/Me, c:\windows
  • Windows NT/2000/XP Pro, c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\
  • Windows XP Home, c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\

Please be aware that if you’ve disabled the Javascript in your browser, any program that is relied on Javascript may encounter problems. If you’ve disabled the AdSense ad by editing your hosts file, you would not be able to view any Google AdSense Ads from any Google AdSense web site. You should undo the changes after you finish working on your AdSense web site.

How Google Detects Click Fraud - A Must Know for AdSense Publisher

May 29th, 2008

A lot of Google AdSense publishers are banned from the Google AdSense program for click fraud. Some of these Google AdSense publishers manage to get their AdSense account reinstated. However, majority of them failed to do so. As a result, they are banned from the Google AdSense program.

Google does not reveal any specific details on how they define click fraud. They do not disclose their proprietary click fraud detection technology as well. As a result of that, publishers would not be able to report any click fraud activities on their website.

However, Google does provide general definition of invalid clicks. It may be a good idea to learn how Google defines invalid clicks and how they detect click fraud.

Google defines invalid clicks as:

  • Manual clicks intended to increase publisher’s advertising
  • Clicks by automated tools, robots, or other deceptive software.

So how does Google detect click fraud activities on your website? How would they know which clicks are invalid? Google AdSense team uses three powerful tools to detect invalid clicks:

  • Detection and filtering techniques: Each click on an AdSense ad is monitored by Google system. Google will record the IP of each click, the time of the click, duplicate clicks and various click patterns. Google will use these factors and filter out potential invalid clicks.
     
  • Advanced monitoring techniques: Google uses its proprietary software to monitor click fraud activity. They are constantly working to improve their click fraud detection technology.
     
  • The Google Team: In addition, Google has a team that uses specialized tools and techniques to examine individual case of click fraud. When Google system detects potentially invalid clicks, a member of this team will examines the affected account.

Despite the effort that Google put in to improve their invalid clicks detection technology, Google does not provide any click fraud protection for publishers. It is very hard for publishers to prove that they have nothing to do with the click fraud activities on their website. It is equally hard for Google AdSense team to believe that the publishers have nothing to do with the click fraud activities on their websites. It is often too late for publishers when they receive the AdSense termination letter from Google AdSense team.

There are few innocent publishers whose AdSense account has been terminated because of a sudden spike in their AdSense earnings. This sudden jump in AdSense earnings is due to the sudden jump in website traffic. The spike in their AdSense earnings would probably raise the red flag in Google click fraud detection system and had their accounts terminated. If you think your AdSense account is terminated unfairly, Google provides you a way to make your appeal:

http://www.google.com/support/adsense/bin/request.py?contact=invalid_clicks_appeal

A Piece of Advice

When you are making your appeal via email, you should stay calm and plan the right strategy. You should be patient when dealing with Google and most importantly you should be polite when communicating with them. You may take initiative to provide them with all the documents they need

Don’ts for Using the Google AdSense Program

May 29th, 2008

Incorrect Way of Making Money With Google AdSense Program

Make money with Google AdSense Program is straight forward. It is fairly easy to add in the Google AdSense code in your web pages and start making money with Google AdSense Program. Web site owners get paid for clicks on Google AdSense ads that are displayed on their site. Because of its simplicity, web site owners of all sizes are now joining the Google AdSense program and make money with Google AdSense. Some webmasters exploits this simple online business model by clicking on their AdSense Ads intentionally hoping that they will get thousands of dollars instantly. The result is of course they are banned from the Google Adsense Program for invalid clicks.

Here are a few AdSense tips that will keep your AdSense account in good standing.

AdSense Tip #1: Don’t Click On Your Own Ads

Google has made it very clear that publishers should not click on the Google AdSense Ads shown on their web site. If Google AdSense team finds out that a publisher is clicking on the AdSense ads intentionally, they will terminate the publisher’s AdSense account immediately for invalid clicks. If you ever think you could easily get away with clicking on your AdSense ads, you are wrong. Google AdSense team can spot invalid clicks because they track the origin IP address of each click.

Here is a nice trick that will protect you from clicking your ads accidentally.

AdSense Tip #2: Don’t Ask Your Friends and Family to Click On Your Ads

As mentioned before, Google tracks the origin IP address of each click, excessive clicks from one IP address will bring to their attention and soon they will find out these clicks are done intentionally. It is best for you not to tell them about your Ads at all because sometimes your friends and family may think they can help you by clicking on the AdSense ads on your site, even though you didn’t ask them to do so. They may not know they are hurting your Google AdSense business. If you would like to make extra cash, you can refer them to the Google AdSense program.

AdSense Tip #3: Don’t Use Software To Generate Invalid Clicks

Google has stated clearly in their terms of service that use of automated clicking programs or robots to generate fraud clicks are prohibited and it will result in the cancellation of your AdSense account.

AdSense Tip #4: Don’ Trick Your Visitor into Clicking Your Ads

Any site that tricks or asks their visitor to click on the AdSense will be banned from the program. There is not exception to that.

AdSense Tip #5: Don’t Use Pop-up

Don’t put your Adsense Ads in the pop-up windows. This is against Google terms and conditions

AdSense Tip #6: Don’t Set Your AdSense Site as Your Browser Start Up Page

Google records the number of time the AdSense ad is shown on your Google AdSense site. If you set your Google AdSense site as your start up page, every time you load your browser, your AdSense ad is also loaded. Since all of these impressions come from your IP, it looks to Google that you are trying to create false impressions. Creating false impressions will also lead to the termination of your account.

AdSense Tip #7: Don’t Put Your AdSense Site in Auto Surf Program

Ever since Google AdSense released CPM (cost per thousand) Based Pricing for Google AdSense, putting your site in auto surf program is against Google AdSense’s terms of service.

AdSense Tip #8: Don’t Put Your AdSense Ads On Sites That Contain Prohibited Content

It is stated clearly in Google terms and conditions that putting AdSense ads on sites including adult or mature content, gambling-related content, or drug content is prohibited. You should make sure that all of your pages adhere to these policies.

AdSense Tip #9: Don’t Promote Your AdSense Site in Bad Environment

You must ensure that any ad network that you are contracting with does not does not use any method (e.g. display your site in pop-ups or as a result of the actions of any software application) that may jeopardize your AdSense account. You need to be very careful when setting up ad campaigns with them.

AdSense Tip #10: Don’t tamper with the AdSense code.

Once you’ve generated your AdSense code, you should not alter any portion of the code for any reason.

Hopefully these AdSense tips help you avoid the mistakes that could hurt your Google Adsense business. It could not be stressed enough that you should understand the Adsense terms of service and follow them completely. Failing to do so could only result in the termination of your Google AdSense account. Google Adsense program is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It will take time and hard work to make a profit from Google Adsense. Be patient and above all, have fun!

Don’t Just Depend on Google AdSense

May 27th, 2008

Want to make money while directing more traffic to your website? You might consider pay per click advertising streams. They can direct Internet users who might want to pay for your information or products to your site at the same time you offer advertising space to sites your users might be interested in. Before you sign up with the first pay per click or affiliate program you see, do your homework.

Google AdSense is the most popular pay per click program out there today. It has the benefits of being in the game for a long time and offering a great deal of research and development into their keyword matching. But what if you have been removed from Google AdSense or just want to branch out and try other services as well? There are other Google AdSense alternatives out there.
Google AdSense alternatives

Yahoo! also has a pay per click program, theirs is called Yahoo! Publisher Network. It works similarly to Google’s AdSense program but has only recently come onto the scene. Users of both AdSense and Publisher Network have found that, though Google is quicker to remove an advertiser, they are still the most valuable. The Yahoo! service is likely not far behind, though.

Chitika and AdBrite are just two of the other Google AdSense alternatives (pay per click advertising stream) currently online. They offer a marketing service and affiliate program. Here’s how it works:
You create your website to sell your goods or information
You sign up for Chitika or AdBrite or a similar marketing program
Other companies who sell goods or information that compliments yours also join the marketing program
The program matches your goods/information and the complimenting companies
You advertise their site and they advertise yours, through a variety of marketing formats that feed directly to your sites
There are four basic benefits of using a streaming advertising service:
Intelligent, targeted recommendations bring product and information links related to your site content to the visitor
Database that handles your ads continually “learns” which ads work best for your site and changes the ads as needed, in addition to regular ad rotation
You get paid when your visitors click through the ads on your site
You can usually bid on the cost of your ad appearing on other sites (at least with Google and Yahoo! programs), allowing you to easily manage your online marketing costs
Affiliate program is another Google AdSense alternative. Affiliate programs offer similar, but not the same, website advertising. There are large affiliate programs out there that only permit businesses with mid to high level traffic. There are small affiliate programs that swap a one-for-one link and let anyone take part. New businesses should look for something in the middle.

The best banner ads are those that are not rich with graphics. Textual link ads are the quickest to load so they are the most effective. The cost of affiliate programs range from tenths of pennies per click to monthly fees of $5 or more.

Regardless of the affiliate or pay per click program you use, it is good business practice to run reports frequently and change the ad streams if you aren’t making money from the ads on your site or aren’t receiving much traffic from your ads on other sites. It is also important to change the information on your site often or offer freebies to encourage visitors to return again and again.